


To the Moon and Back

by Nightlightgoth



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Curse Breaking, Curses, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 19:05:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19382893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightlightgoth/pseuds/Nightlightgoth
Summary: Yuuri is the god of the stars, and he's deeply in love with Victor, the god of the moon. But, when Yuri, god of the sun, becomes jealous of the attention Yuuri is getting, he curses them to be apart. Yuuri wants nothing more than to break the curse and be with Victor again.





	To the Moon and Back

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as part of the 2019 Viktuuri Reverse Big Bang on Tumblr! The artist, Morgen, did some phenomenal work. Please please please go follow on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/huoreart/status/1144274827508899840?s=19) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/BzOAoD_gftd/?igshid=9y2ugh4br0ch)!!!

Yuuri sat on top of a hill overlooking the shore. The summer breeze carried the smell of the saltwater up to him, dancing with the tall grass on its way. The sound of the waves crashing into the sand below was a comforting, familiar white noise. His knees pulled to his chest and one arm draped over them, he was rather content. He waved his other hand through the air slowly, wiggling his fingers. The stars sparkled. He smiled. How beautiful they looked tonight.

Yuuri loved summer nights. The clear skies and cool air seemed to make his stars a touch brighter. They were also the best nights to look at the full moon. He stared up at it, his eyes tracing over the craters and mountains high above.

“Admiring my handiwork, Yuuri?” a voice asked from behind him.

Yuuri jumped, letting out a little cry of surprise. He turned to look at Victor. He stood there, smiling, and Yuuri's heart gave a small leap. How, after all these millennia, did he manage to get more beautiful each time Yuuri saw him? Just like his charge, the god of the moon seemed somehow larger and more radiant tonight. His silver hair fell into his pale face, framing it like the halo around the moon. He extended a hand to Yuuri. The black silk robe he wore swayed with the breeze, teasing glimpses of the silver and white sparkles in the fabric. It fell over his body delicately. It was one of those things that seemed to Yuuri almost too fragile to touch.

Yuuri took Victor's hand and let himself be pulled to his feet as he said, “Do you _have_ to scare me like that?”

Victor chuckled and pulled Yuuri to his chest. “It wouldn't be as fun if I didn't.”

Yuuri wrapped his arms around Victor and pressed his face against his neck. Victor's skin, despite the summer, was cold. It was pleasant against how warm Yuuri was. The two matched and contrasted in all the right ways.

“Hello, my star,” Victor said and pressed a kiss to the top of Yuuri's head.

“Mmm, hello.”

“Did you miss me?”

Yuuri laughed. “I saw you yesterday.”

“Is that a no?”

Yuuri squeezed Victor. “I missed you. I always do.”

Victor pulled away just enough to look at Yuuri. He looked him over. His black hair reflected the light from the skies and his dark, almond eyes twinkled like the stars he ruled. Victor smiled and put a hand under Yuuri's chin, gently tilting his head back. Victor brushed his thumb over Yuuri's lips. Yuuri kissed the finger softly, silently asking Victor for the kiss he wanted so much. Victor chuckled again.

“In a moment, darling. Let me savor this,” Victor whispered.

“Victor, you do this every night.” Yuuri was whining, but he smiled.

“I'm making up for lost time.”

The two were immortal gods, yes, but such power didn't mean ease. With unending life comes the unending possibility for trouble. The god of the moon and the god of the stars, so in love that their brilliance together inspires the romances of mortals, almost weren't.

* * *

_Ten years ago_

Yuuri walked with Phichit, a good friend of his and the god of earth. The sun was dipping low past the horizon and the light filtered between the trees surrounding them. Phichit stopped and put his hand on a particularly tall oak.

“Can you guess how old it is?” he asked Yuuri.

Yuuri tapped his chin as he looked up it, craning his neck.

“I'll give you a hint if you want,” Phichit said.

Yuuri nodded, unsure how to gauge such a thing.

“It sprouted the year Victor gave you that bottle of moondust.”

“Huh?! How am I supposed to know how long ago that was?” Yuuri put his hands over his face to hide the blush blooming in his cheeks. Phichit laughed.

“We both know you know how long ago it was.”

“263 years,” Yuuri said. He dropped his hands but turned his face away. He could only imagine how red it was. Phichit laughed harder.

“Ha! I knew you would know!” Phichit patted the tree and peeled back a piece of the bark. “263 and still healthy. This one will last quite a while.”

“How long do they usually live?” Yuuri asked. He knelt beside another tree, brushing dried grass off its roots.

“This kind? I have one that's almost a millennia old, now. Some live much longer. Some not long at all.”

Yuuri nodded and stood again.

“Stars live much longer, don't they?”

Yuuri smiled and shrugged. “Since they're not really alive, it's easier to keep them going.”

“I wonder how long moons last.” Phichit started back down the dirt path.

“That's the fourth time today! Why do you keep mentioning him?”

“That's what friends do. When are you going to tell him how you feel? It's obvious he feels the same way.”

Yuuri groaned and kicked aside a rock on the path they were walking.

“Why else would he act the way he does?” Phichit asked.

“Because he's nice?”

“He's nicer to you than anyone else.”

“We're friends!”

“So are you and I. I'm not nicer to you than the rest of my friends.”

“I'm not telling him. If he has feelings for me, he can say it first.”

Phichit smiled and shook his head. “Well I have a wheat field that needs some tending while the humans sleep. I'll see you later, Yuuri!”

“Bye, Phichit.”

And with a breeze rustling the leaves of the trees the last trace of Phichit having been there, he was gone. Yuuri stepped out past the treeline to the field they'd been approaching. The sun had finally set. Yuuri was, naturally, much more comfortable at night. His stars, so distant, lit up for him.

He walked alone for a while. The path was well-worn from centuries of following it. After some time, he reached the base of the hill he was heading to. The top of that hill was one of Yuuri's favorite places in the mortal world. For all the beauty in the realm of the gods, there was something unique about this one spot.

A wave of ease washed over him as he got to the top. Phichit said that was because he had set this place aside for the gods; humans would be pushed away from it to allow the gods a place of rest in the mortal plane. Yuuri thought it was something else. There was a different feeling of sanctuary here that didn't quite match the way the gods’ magic felt.

The top of that hill was almost the perfect meeting point between one realm and the next, he realized. The magic that underlaid it was strong and soothing, but the place itself was too earthly to ignore. It was a blending of existences. It was a fade from eternity to mortality. It was such a delicate, fragile mix that Yuuri was sure couldn’t thrive anywhere else. He decided that was what he loved so much about it. The hill itself seemed to illustrate that scale; on one side was the dense forest he had just come from and on the other was a vast expanse of crashing blue. One thing couldn’t truly be appreciated without its opposite, could it?

Yuuri sat on a flat rock overlooking the ocean. If he listened closely, he could hear the waves way out there. The night sky and the horizon looked like one long stretch of darkness. His beautiful stars overhead reflected in the water only amplified that illusion. If it weren’t for the moon mirrored in the middle, Yuuri could believe that the ocean and sky were a unified thing.

He was so entranced by the view that he almost missed the sound of footsteps approaching. He turned, curious, to see Victor. He wasn’t surprised; they met at this spot often, as did many of the gods.

“Hello, Yuuri,” Victor said. He stopped beside the god of the stars and gave him a sleepy smile.

“Hi, Victor!”

“You look well tonight.”

“I am.” Yuuri grinned. “You look tired.”

Victor chuckled through a yawn and sat cross-legged in the grass beside Yuuri. “It’s a full moon, you know. I’ll be up all night.”

“Oh, right! Ah! I’m sorry. I can’t keep track of the phases. They change too quickly.”

“Hmm. It would be hard to remember it for someone with a job that doesn’t change much, wouldn’t it?” Victor tapped his chin and tilted his head to the side. It rested against Yuuri’s leg. Yuuri’s eyes widened and he trained his gaze on the beach, trying to slow his beating heart. His conversation with Phichit jumped to the forefront of his mind. They sat in silence for a moment. Yuuri felt a knot tightening in his stomach.

“Yuuri?”

“Yes?”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Wh-- ah! Nothing, really!” Yuuri felt his cheeks warming.

“Oh? Hm. I was thinking that I don’t know any of the constellations.”

“You don’t?”

Victor lifted his head from Yuuri’s lap and looked up at him. “Will you teach me?”

Yuuri met his eyes. A strand of that flawless silver hair fell into Victor’s face. Yuuri was tempted to reach over and tuck it behind his ear, but he knew he didn’t have the nerve.

“Of course I’ll teach you,” Yuuri said. He turned away and scanned the sky.

“Which is your favorite?”

“I don’t think I have one. They’re all precious to me. Like that one, there,” he pointed, “I like because the humans make beautiful art of it. It’s called Cassiopeia.”

Victor leaned forward and squinted. “I don’t see it.”

“Do you see the way those ones line up and make a ‘V’ over there?”

“Nope!”

Yuuri laughed and leaned closer to Victor, looking over his shoulder to point at the right angle. He traced the constellation’s lines in the air slowly.

“Do you see it now? Right there.”

Victor watched Yuuri’s hand. He followed it, trying to decipher the shape he was talking about. He glanced over and smiled.

“You might have to come down here and point it out.”

Yuuri had dropped his guard the moment Victor asked about the constellations. He laughed and slid off the rock as Victor scooted aside. He pointed again, leaning to get closer to Victor’s point of view.

“How’s that?”

Yuuri was taken aback when he felt a soft kiss on his cheek. He made a little noise of confusion and turned to Victor. Victor was smiling softly, his eyes full of nerves and hope. Yuuri blinked a few times and felt the blush rising to his face. His heart was racing and he swallowed hard. He couldn’t believe that had actually happened. There was no way, right?

Victor started to look a bit worried and asked, “Was that a bad idea?”

Yuri hid his face in his hands and whined.

“No! It was fine! It was - I just can’t believe - aah!”

Victor laughed and grabbed Yuuri’s hands, pulling them away from his face.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous.”

Yuuri gave him a sheepish smile as he let go of his hands. He wanted to say something, to finally admit to his feelings, to tell Victor how deeply he loved him, but he couldn’t. Even after that little peck, his heart was beating too hard to keep his thoughts straight. His mind was swimming in the excitement of it. Victor put a hand to Yuuri’s cheek. The gentle touch made Yuuri melt, leaning into it. The world shifted into a deeper darkness and the two looked up.

“I didn’t know there was an eclipse tonight,” Yuuri said quietly. Victor smiled.

“They don’t happen often. They’re special. Just like you.”

Yuuri’s blush deepened. Victor inched closer, leaning in. Yuuri’s eyes started to flutter shut. Victor was so close, now, that he could feel his breath on his face.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” a voice said behind them. They pulled apart before their lips met. They turned and looked at the younger god standing there.

“Yuri?” Victor said. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s an _eclipse_ , stupid. I _have_ to be here.” Yuri crossed his arms and flipped his hair out of his face, scowling.

Victor had a look of realization and turned back to Yuuri with an apologetic shrug.

“I can't believe you forgot. You promised you would hang out with _me_ tonight since we were supposed to be together anyway.”

Victor stood and walked to Yuri.

“Oh, I did, didn't I? I'm sorry Yuri!” Victor said. He moved to put a hand on Yuri's shoulder, but the younger god stepped back.

“Tch! Don't bother. You blew me off for him again.” Yuri looked away. With his eyes cast out over the roaring sea, it was hard to tell, but he looked like he was near tears.

“Aw, Yuri. Come on. I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!”

Yuuri watched the scene unfold. His nerves had been replaced with a protective worry. Much like the sun he was the keeper of, Yuri had an unpredictable and burning temper. Yuuri felt small around him. His confidence, his self-assuredness, his unwavering faith in his own power - it was all very intimidating. Victor continued to apologize, doing his best to ask for Yuri's forgiveness.

Every word only seemed to anger Yuri further. He began to stomp off. His eyes met Yuuri's. Yuuri could feel his rage from the look alone. He stood and put his hands up as if in surrender.

“And you! You shouldn't mean anything to him! _I'm_ the one he should be spending all his time with! The moon doesn't even shine without the sun!”

Yuuri’s stomach tightened and he swallowed hard. Of course, _he_ thought of things that way often. He couldn’t avoid the feeling that he wasn’t good enough for Victor. Having someone else say it out loud, though? That made it more real. It felt like it was true.

Yuri turned back to Victor and snarled, “Consider this a curse.”

The other two gasped. Yuuri’s hand went to his mouth and he felt tears well in his eyes. Curses were powerful things. They were hard to avoid and even harder to break. Using them on mortals was frowned upon unless necessary. Using them against other gods?

“So long as you can see the moon on a clear night, you’ll never see each other again.”

“Yuri, wait!” Victor said. The damage was done. Yuuri stepped forward, reaching for him, calling out his name, but Victor vanished. Yuuri whimpered and brought his hands to his chest, folded together as if he could pray him back.

“Yuri, why would you… How could you?”

Yuri glared at him before disappearing himself.

The quiet that followed was almost unbearable. Yuuri looked to where Victor had just stood. The empty air made him feel hollow inside. He couldn’t stop the tears as they fell. He dropped to his knees and cried.

A few months passed and Yuuri’s friends were worrying about him deeply. They tried to deliver messages between the two, but Yuri quickly put a stop to that, as well. The inability to talk to each other at all was driving Yuuri mad. Mostly, though, it just hurt. He was putting less effort into his work, spending less time and energy on what he loved doing.

Some of the gods expressed their distaste for Yuri’s actions. Sure, Victor had screwed up, but a curse? That was crossing a line that he never should have approached.

Others felt that Yuri was justified. Victor hadn’t just done this to him, and not just once. His attention so often being on Yuuri had pulled him away from what he was meant to do. He broke promises and left others hanging in favor of Yuuri’s company. While, of course, most of them knew that it wasn’t intentional -Victor had a tendency to be scatterbrained and forgetful regarding most things- it was still unacceptable.

Yuuri still found himself on top of that hill regularly. It was his happiest place, even if it was now tainted with the memory of having Victor ripped away from him. At the very least, he could try to dwell more on the happier thoughts, all of the good memories they shared in that spot.

He was in the middle of reminiscing in such a way when Phichit appeared. He sat beside his friend and offered a smile. Of course Yuuri returned it. Even if he was hurting, it was nice to have a friend.

“How are things tonight?” Phichit asked. He bit into a rice ball that had been left to him as an offering from a mortal farmer, praying for a bountiful harvest.

Yuuri shrugged. “Nothing new, I guess.”

“Hmm.”

“How are you?”

“Well, these rice balls are delicious. Mortal food is really good. Do you want one?”

Yuuri smiled and nodded. Phichit handed him a small paper package. Yuuri unwrapped it and took a bite. He closed his eyes and smiled as he chewed.

“This is great!”

“I told you so.”

The two sat and ate, talking about nothing in particular. The nights were starting to get colder, and soon Autumn would take its hold on the mortal world. That wouldn’t faze them at all. Even the food they ate wasn’t necessary for them as gods. The aspects of the mortal realm that impacted them were few. Still, it was nice to indulge from time to time.

Yuuri was stretched out on his back, twinkling the stars, when the pair heard talking from somewhere nearby. Phichit looked around and then nudged Yuuri. He sat up and followed his eyes to the bottom of the hill. It was strange to see those two in the mortal realm. It only ever seemed to happen when something important was going on. Yuuri and Phichit watched them for a moment before one of the figures called to Yuuri. He jumped to his feet and made his way down the hill. Phichit followed close behind.

“Hi, Yakov!” Yuuri said. Yakov gave him a grunt in response. Yuuri turned to the other. “And hello, Miss Lillia.”

“Hello, Yuuri. Phichit.”

“Hello!” Phichit said, smiling wide. His friendliness and enthusiasm were contagious, and the older pair relaxed a bit.

“Is something wrong?” Yuuri asked.

Yakov sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “We need Victor out of our hair.”

Yuuri’s heart sank as he said, “I can’t do anything to help. Yuri’s curse-”

“Has a way around it,” Lillia said. The goddess of life waved her hand while she spoke. “Most curses do, especially when made in such haste. Victor being unable to see you means he is spending more time distracting everyone else.”

“And being a pain in my-”

“Yakov!”

He flinched, then grumbled to himself after Lillia interrupted him.

“Yes, he is being agitating for most of us. Worst of all, Yuri is beginning to slack in his duties. Without having a rival in you to motivate him, he is starting to slip. That is not to say that he is not still doing a fantastic job, but it was better when he could use his anger toward you as energy for his job.”

“How do I see Victor again? I-I mean, how can I help?” Yuuri asked. He looked between the two eagerly.

“Yuri said you can't see each other when the moon is visible, yes?” Yakov asked.

Yuuri nodded. Yakov looked rather smug.

“During a new moon, the moon isn't visible. Once a month, you should be able to see each other.”

Yuuri beamed. His heart leapt, and he barely managed to bite back a shout of excitement. He stood a little straighter, but started fidgeting when he couldn’t decide between outstretching his hand or opening his arms for a hug. He settled for wrapping his arms around himself and nodding repeatedly.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Yakov snarled and rolled his eyes, but Lillia gave him a soft, empathetic smile.

“It is only one time a month. Make the best of it, god of the stars,” she said. With that, the pair disappeared.

Yuuri turned to Phichit, who immediately grabbed his hands and was all but bouncing in place. Yuuri laughed, and the two tumbled to the ground, making him laugh harder. Phichit laughed just as loud, and the pair created enough of a ruckus that the birds in the nearby trees took flight and sought a quieter sanctuary.

“This is great!” Yuuri finally said when he managed to stop laughing for a moment. He turned his head to look over at Phichit, who was dusting himself off in the dirt beside him.

“It is! Maybe now the two of you can figure out a way to break the curse completely!”

“You think so?”

“Who knows? I don’t see why not!”

“Maybe you’re right. I sure hope so.”

The next new moon couldn’t come fast enough for Yuuri. He spent his time focusing on his work as best as he could, but it seemed to be more and more of a struggle as the night approached. When it finally did, Yuuri was perched in his usual spot, staring up at his stars. His heart raced, and it seemed unusually difficult to get air into his lungs. He could barely keep still as time went on.

But, then he started to worry. Would Victor show up? Would this first night in who knew how long be as disappointing as all the time he’d spent mourning the relationship that, to him, had barely started?

A soft voice saying his name pulled him from his doubts, and Yuuri leapt to his feet.

“Victor!”

The god of the moon stood before him, just feet away, with the biggest smile Yuuri had seen on his face. Without a moment of hesitation, Yuuri broke into a sprint, delighted when Victor did the same. The moment Victor’s arms pulled him into a tight embrace, Yuuri sighed and felt all of his pain start to fall away. Victor clung to him just as desperately. Yuuri felt, for a moment, that he could cry out of the sheer joy he was feeling.

“I’m so happy to see you again,” he said. Victor pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

“I’ve missed you.”

Yuuri pulled away first, but kept his hand in Victor’s as they sat down in the grass. He was about to ask what he’d missed in the months they’d been apart when Victor yawned.

“Oh, are you tired?” Yuuri asked.

“Just a little. I usually sleep during new moons.”

“Oh! Am I keeping you awake? I’m sorry! You should rest!”

Victor laughed. “Yuuri, what are you talking about? I would rather be with you than be sleeping. Besides, I can sleep in the morning.”

Yuuri blushed and Victor squeezed his hand. “I guess you’re right. I’m just so happy you’re here. What have you-- how have-- it’s been so long!”

“It’s been too long!” Victor leaned against Yuuri and put his head on his shoulder. “Things have been so _boring_. It’s the same thing every day, and nobody is as fun to talk to as you.”

“Is that why you’ve been slacking?”

“Wh-- hey! I have not been slacking! Yakov just expects too much of me.”

“Uh huh. What else has happened?”

The two spent the night talking, catching up, and reminiscing. Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to rise and both of them were exhausted. They had considered the possibility of the daylight being another loophole, but realized to their dismay that it wouldn’t work. Victor reminded Yuuri that the moon was often visible in the blue sky, and Yuuri lamented the lack of sleep they would get if they stayed up all night to work and then all day to be together. Besides that, Yuri would surely find out about that much sooner than he would find out about their ability to meet just once a month.

So, every month when the moon was gone from sight, Yuuri and Victor returned to their spot on the hill. Yuuri was happier than he had been in a long time, and even Lillia had dropped by again to thank him for getting Victor to work harder. The two spent countless nights trying to think up a fix for the curse they were under, and while their fix seemed just out of reach every time, it was enough for them to see each other in the brief moments that they could.

That was until some time had passed, and Victor nearly broke Yuuri’s heart.

“You don’t remember?” Yuuri asked, his voice tinged with sadness. “It was right here, on my birthday! You gave me the bottle of moondust, and then we went to that big banquet and -- how do you not remember? You used to talk about it all the time.”

Victor frowned and furrowed his brow, stroking his chin pensively. He stared at the ground in front of him and hummed as if that would make him remember.

“Are you sure it wasn’t a dream?”

“I’m sure! I can- wait here.”

Yuuri vanished from the hill, popping up in the little room he called his own. He rifled through a few drawers and boxes before finding what he was looking for. He plucked it out of its hiding place and _whooshed_ himself back to the hill. Victor cocked his head to the side curiously. Yuuri held out the bottle to him. It was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand and filled with the silvery powder that Victor had scooped up from the moon’s surface. A string tied around the neck held a tag with Yuuri’s name on it in a delicate script.

Victor took it from him and inspected it, turning it over in his hands. He even went so far as to uncork it and sniff the contents.When he handed the bottle back, the look on his face made Yuuri’s heart sink.

“It’s definitely mine, but… I really don’t remember. I’m sorry, Yuuri. I don’t know how I could forget something like that.”

Yuuri nodded and cupped the bottle in both his hands, holding it as if it were too delicate to risk holding with only one. The rest of the night was heavy, almost tainted by the forgotten memory. Still, they spent it together nonetheless. Morning came, and Victor hugged Yuuri in a way that felt different somehow. Yuuri tried not to think about it, but he found that that was all he could do. The next weeks were spent over-analyzing and over-thinking that moment. The fact that Victor had forgotten that day was one thing. For him to act differently afterwards was another. It tied a knot in the pit of Yuuri’s stomach, and he had the feeling that things were only going to get worse.

And worse they did get. It seemed that every time they met, Victor’s memory slipped more and more. It started off small, at first, after the loss of that birthday. He forgot small jokes between them, or little things they often said to each other. The more months passed, the bigger the losses seemed to be. More birthdays, holidays, moments between the two of them that Yuuri clung to and couldn’t imagine Victor forgetting. He had tried to convince himself for a while that that was just Victor. His forgetfulness wasn’t exactly new, after all. Eventually, though, he couldn’t deny what was happening.

Victor was slowly forgetting him.

It was one night after Yuuri realized this, just days before the next new moon, that he walked through the forest with Phichit. The air was growing colder. Winter was on its way. Yuuri was glad for this, in one sense, because longer nights meant more time with Victor. On the other hand, the amnesia the other man seemed to be facing was taking a toll on both of them.

With the cold came quiet. There was no chirping of insects or croaking of frogs to fill the air. Only the occasional hooting of an owl or crunching twigs from some larger animal broke the silence that hung heavy between them. Yuuri felt like he was right back to where he started. A Victor that barely remembered anything may as well have been no Victor at all.

He scolded himself for thinking that. Of course any Victor was better than no Victor. That didn’t make it easier to handle, though, and didn’t give him any clue how to bring _his_ Victor back. He scolded himself for thinking that, too. He wasn’t _his_ Victor. Not really, anyways. All this had happened before they’d had a chance to talk about things, even if Victor had been about to kiss him.

The thought made Yuuri’s heart skip even now. It had been years since that night, and thinking about it still made Yuuri feel like a lovestruck child. He could only imagine what it would feel like when they actually got the chance --

If.

 _If_ , he reminded himself. _If we get the chance_.

All of those almost scandalous meetings between them and it hadn’t happened. It had amused (and frustrated) Yuuri enough to mention it. When he did, Victor gave him a coy sort of look and said, “It would feel wrong to kiss you for the first time when we’re meeting like this. I want it to be… better.”

Those words lingered in Yuuri’s head far longer than he’d wanted them to. They became yet another source of frustration. Knowing that Victor felt that way, Yuuri couldn’t just kiss him no matter how badly he wanted to. Especially not now that Victor’s memories were fading.

Yuuri let out a loud groan, and Phichit’s surprised gasp pulled him from his thoughts.

“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking.”

“I know, I know. There has to be some way around this. You have to find a way to make Victor remember you, and you have to break the curse.”

“But it’s impossible! The more time we spend apart, the more Victor forgets me. Do you think that’s part of the curse, too?”

Phichit shrugged.

“Argh! I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

“You know, you could always talk to Yuri.”

“What? No way! He wouldn’t just lift the curse like that.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you can find a way to convince him to.”

Yuuri stopped, and a wave of hope crashed into him. He looked at Phichit and felt a new resolve blossoming inside of him.

“Wait, if you go, then I’m coming, too!”

Yuuri smiled at him and then the two were off.

The Hall where everyone’s rooms were located -with the exceptions of Lillia and Yakov- was quiet and still. Day hadn’t quite broken yet, and so most of the gods were still asleep or just barely waking up. Yuuri started to second-guess himself as they made their way down the corridor. If it was too early, Yuri was bound to be in a bad mood and he would get nowhere. If they got there too close to Yuri’s time to leave for the day, he wouldn’t have the time to even try getting anywhere.

He mulled all of this over and tried to take a few deep breaths. He didn’t spend too much time in the Hall; usually, he was sleeping in his room if he was there, and more often than not his free time was spent wandering Earth with Phichit or one of the other gods. The strange feeling that came with thinking about that didn’t help his nerves, and by the time they were in front of Yuri’s door, his hands were shaking.

The door itself was an off-white and covered in ornate carvings, all various depictions of the sun. The handle was a brightly polished gold, and Yuuri wondered if it was cold or warm to the touch. He didn’t want to try finding out, though. He looked over to Phichit who gave him a smile and a small nod, and then turned back to the door.

He knocked twice and listened. The room was quiet, and Yuuri wondered if perhaps Yuri hadn’t woken up just yet. The dread that filled him at the idea of waking the other god up too early when he wanted something from him was enough to make him take a step back. He waited. Phichit suggested he knock again. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, raising his hand to rap his knuckles against the wood. Then, the door opened.

“What do you want?” Yuri asked.

Yuuri glanced at Phichit and back. “I was hoping we could talk.”

“Tsk. Don’t you know some of us work in the morning?”

“I- I know! That’s why I’m here now. It isn’t morning yet, and if I come tonight then you’ll be tired and--”

“Jeeze, what do you _want_?”

“I want to talk about the curse.”

Yuri’s eyes narrowed and his grip on the doorknob tightened. His eyes jumped from Yuuri to Phichit and back two or three times before he spoke again.

“I don’t have anything to talk about. You’re cursed. Deal with it.”

“Wait, please!” Yuuri threw his hand against the door as Yuri started to close it, making the blonde’s mouth drop open in shock.

“Please talk to him,” Phichit said, stepping closer to the two. “You cursed him without even letting him speak. You should at least let him speak now.”

“I don’t have to do anything. I cursed _Victor_ , anyways.”

“Exactly! This isn’t fair to either of them!”

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t fair that Victor kept ditching me for this… this _demigod_.”

Yuuri gasped, and Yuri looked away.

“You didn’t mean that,” Phichit said after a long pause. “You know Yuuri’s just as important a god as you.”

Yuri scoffed, but pushed the door open further. “Whatever. Go away, Phichit. Just Yuuri.”

Yuuri looked at Phichit, who gave him a half-hearted smile and a thumbs-up. He turned and stepped into Yuri’s room, shutting the door behind him. It wasn’t quite what he’d expected. It was messy, really. Yuri’s things were strewn everywhere in a haphazard disaster, leaving piles of things on the floor and on the desk in the corner. Yuuri stood at the front of the room wringing his hands as Yuri flopped onto his bed. He bounced a bit, making his hair fall away from his face enough for Yuuri to look at him.

“Well?” Yuri said.

“Right. This curse is--”

“Will you sit down? It’s weird that you’re just standing there.”

“Oh, uh. Sure.” Yuuri glanced around for a place to sit. The chair at the desk was too cluttered, and just about everywhere else he could sit was in the same state. After a moment, Yuri groaned and sat up. He nodded towards the foot of his bed and rolled his eyes. Yuuri sat on the edge and then turned to Yuri again.

“You’re cursed. Victor is cursed. Whatever. It’s not my problem, so say whatever you want to say before I change my mind.”

“Yuri, I want you to lift the curse. But! I know you aren’t just going to do that. So, what if we make a deal?”

“A deal? What do you think you could possibly offer me that I can’t get whenever I want?”

“Victor.”

“ _What?_ ”

“I have Victor. His attention. His time. That’s what you want, right? That’s why you made it impossible for us to see each other.”

“Yeah, and now I have that, so what would lifting the curse do for me?”

“Nothing. It would just make you a good person.”

Yuri scoffed. “So you want me to lift the curse so I can be a ‘good person’ or something? You’re even more stupid than I thought.”

“Yuri, please. If you lift the curse, I’ll make sure that he doesn’t forget to spend time with you again.”

“He doesn’t forget now!”

“But he’s forgetting _me!_ ”

“So what?! That’s not my problem! He kept forgetting me, and now you know how it felt!”

Yuuri blinked a few times and then looked down at his lap. “You’re right.”

“So what if he- what? Did you just--”

“Yeah. I said you’re right. I didn’t realize how much it upset you. I get it now.”

“Yeah, it’s not fun, is it?”

“Not at all.” Yuuri collapsed backwards onto the bed and threw an arm across his face, ignoring Yuri’s rough kick to his side. “But it’s different than that. He’s really _forgetting_ me.”

“So what?”

“Completely forgetting me. Soon, he won’t know who I am anymore.”

“Sucks to be you.”

“It does. I… I love him, you know.”

“That’s stupid.”

Yuuri chuckled. “Nah. I don’t think so. I think you love him, too. Just in a different way.”

“What? No! I have a more important job than you and yet you get all the attention. It doesn’t make sense. _I_ should be the one he admires, not you. Stupid.”

“Are you sure about that?” Yuuri raised his arm to peek at the other god, who was sitting with his knees to his chest. When they locked eyes, Yuri threw a pillow at him.

“Shut up!”

Yuuri laughed and sat up again. “Okay, okay. Will you think about it? I know it’s not really a fair trade, but I’ll make sure he doesn’t forget you again. I just want Victor back.”

Yuri grumbled something along the lines of “I’ll think about it” and Yuuri stepped outside again. Phichit was pacing the hall and nearly jumped when Yuuri shut the door behind him.

“Well? What happened? Is he going to lift the curse?”

Yuuri sighed and shrugged. “He said he’ll think about it.”

Phichit visibly deflated. “That’s better than nothing, I guess.”

“I guess so.” Yuuri yawned and stretched. “I think I’m going to get some sleep. See you later, Phichit.”

Yuuri slept poorly that day. He tossed and turned, waking repeatedly only to struggle to get back to sleep. When he finally did manage to stay asleep, he was woken with a start. A hand on his shoulder gently shook him, something he was far from used to. His eyes opened wide and he sat up abruptly, gasping as he jolted awake.

“Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you!”

Yuuri turned and his eyes widened further. He rubbed them a few times and blinked, not sure he wasn’t still asleep and dreaming after all.

“Victor?”

“Good morning, Yuuri! Or should I say ‘good night’ instead? You know it really doesn’t -- mmph!”

Yuuri grabbed Victor, pulling him down onto the bed to squeeze him tight. Victor laughed and nuzzled Yuuri’s neck as he wrapped his arms around him in return.

“I missed you too,” he said. He pulled away a moment later, his eyes bright and his smile wide. “And I remember everything again! All of it’s back!”

“Really?! I’m so glad!” Yuuri pulled him into another hug at that. He closed his eyes and sighed. Victor rubbed a hand up and down Yuuri’s back, and the feeling was almost enough to put Yuuri back to sleep. Instead, he jerked away and covered his face with his hands, letting out a long whine.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I’m not even dressed!”

Victor laughed. “You’re right. We should save that for later.”

“Out!” Yuuri shouted, flailing his arms at Victor.

Victor laughed harder and stepped out of the room, poking his head back in a moment later. “I’ll see you later, right?”

“ _Out!_ ”

Yuuri fell back onto his bed and groaned, running his hands over his face. It was only a moment before his excitement filled him again, and he got ready for the night in a hurry. He was about to head down to his usual spot when a moment of consideration had him doing otherwise. He made his way down the long corridor and stopped outside Yuri’s door again. Before he could knock, the door swung open.

“Yeah, you’re welcome. Don’t let him forget he’s hanging out with me next week,” he said before slamming the door shut. Yuuri blinked and shook his head with a smile.

He appeared in the same, familiar spot as always. The air was just as cold as the night before, but it didn’t bother Yuuri at all. He hugged himself tight as he sat on his rock and flicked his fingers at a few stars. They sparkled a little brighter and Yuuri smiled. Tonight, the sliver of the moon that reflected on the water below seemed even more lovely.

“There you are!”

Yuuri jumped and stood, turning to Victor with a shake of his head.

“Do you _have_ to scare me like that?”

Victor chuckled and pulled Yuuri to his chest. “It wouldn't be as fun if I didn't.”

Yuuri wrapped his arms around Victor and pressed his face against his neck.

“Hello, my star,” Victor said and pressed a kiss to the top of Yuuri's head.

“Mmm, hello.”

“Did you miss me?”

Yuuri laughed. “I saw you earlier.”

“Is that a no?”

Yuuri squeezed Victor. “I missed you. I always do.”

He pulled away, then, enough to look up at Victor. The light from the moon and stars made his silver hair shimmer and cast shadows across his face. His eyes sparkled, and it made Yuuri’s heart skip. Yuuri smiled at him, and Victor smiled back for just a moment.

The moment their lips met made Yuuri melt. His heart raced and he held his breath and all he could feel was the soft kiss that Victor was finally, _finally_ giving him. He was dizzy when they broke apart. His head was spinning, but in the strangest way; everything around him seemed to be falling away except for Victor.

“Yuuri, I don’t know why I never said it before, but… I love you.”

Yuuri kissed him again, and then said, “I love you, too.”

Victor hummed a moment, a sort of mischief in his eyes. “How much?”

Yuuri snorted and shook his head.

“To the moon and back.”


End file.
